


Cost of a Reunion

by desikauwa



Series: Tumblr Drabbles [14]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-11
Updated: 2017-03-11
Packaged: 2018-10-02 20:56:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10227173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desikauwa/pseuds/desikauwa
Summary: Alfred's funeral





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [safety_dancer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/safety_dancer/gifts), [sosoamro](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sosoamro/gifts).



> back when I was actively trying to write angst

Jason wasn't sure how he got the news but he'd put money on Dick asking Oracle to find someone to tell him. His suspicions were proven correct thanks to the Replacement.

Jason had entered the manor through one of the windows in the library.

Tim had been curled up in an armchair facing that window. He didn't bother getting up.

"Dick was right. He said you'd come once you got the news."

Jason rolled his eyes.

"Of course Golden Boy was right. Just because I'm mad at Bruce doesn't mean I wouldn't pay respect to him. After all, he's the only one who deserves my respect."

Tim just curled up tighter.

"Just go pay your respects already and leave me alone."

"No can do Replacement. You're coming with me because I have no idea where anything is taking place."

Tim glared but he unfurled himself and stalked out of the room. Jason followed.

Eventually Tim stopped in front of a door that Jason didn't recognize and knocked.

Dick was the one who opened the door. It looked like he hadn't slept in days and his eyes were dead. When he spotted Jason, a little life returned to him.

"You came. I'm glad."

Jason shrugged.

"I had to. It's for him. I'm probably last one."

Dick let out a broken laugh.

"I wish you were the last one. You're actually second to last. Bruce has you beat."

"In all the things I could beat Bruce in, this the worst."

Jason walked past Dick to see what was going on in the room. He purposely avoided looking at the front of the room. It would make this all too real.

Tim hadn't been allowed to retreat back to the library by Stephanie who had grabbed him and refused to let go. They both were standing unlike the other 3 in the room.

Barbara's wheelchair was to the side as she was sitting in the middle of a sofa.

On one side of her, was Cassandra with her eyes wide open. Cassandra made eye contact with Jason and nodded to him.

However it was Damian's position that made Jason stop and stare. Damian was laying on Barbara's lap, fast asleep, dried tear tracks on his face.

Dick had come up behind Jason and noticed what Jason was looking at.

"Damian's had a hard day. We're just letting him sleep now."

"What do I care? Let me answer that. I don't."

Jason turned away from Bruce's family to finally look at the reason he was even in the Manor.

Alfred Pennyworth was even calmer in death than he had been in life.

"He looks like he's sleeping."

Jason's voice was so soft that the only reason why Dick heard him was because Dick was standing right next Jason.

"I know. That's what making this so much harder on Cassandra and Damian."

Jason narrowed his eyes at Dick.

"What do you mean?"

Dick shrugged,

"In a way this is the first experience either of them have had with grief. Cassandra never had anyone she cared about truly die and Damian understands Alfred is nothing like Ra's and doesn't want to come back. It's still hard for him to understand because he's so used to those he cares about coming back to life."

Jason was uncomfortable so he decided to go up to coffin. Alfred would have been so happy. All of his grandchildren were gathered in one place.

Of course it was at this moment that Bruce came in. His voice was rough from the obvious pain he was in.

"What are you doing here Jason?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm leaving right now. I'm done here."

Jason refused to argue with Bruce at that moment and he knew that if he stayed he would do so.

Dick would have stopped him but another member of the family reached him first.

No one had seen Cassandra move but that didn't surprise them. She grabbed his arm which caused him to look into her dark eyes.

"Stay. Please."

Her voice was so quiet and it sounded like her voice hadn't been used in a while. Jason glanced at Dick and saw that his face showed the shock that Jason felt.

"That's the first thing she's said all day."

* * *

The burial was family only and Jason discovered the longer he stayed, the harder it was to convince himself that he wanted to leave. In the end, he never left the Manor even reconciling with Bruce.

Alfred's greatest wish was to have his entire family reunited. What Alfred hadn't been able to fulfill in life, had been fulfilled in death.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm on [tumblr](http://desikauwa.tumblr.com)


End file.
